In Hoboken: Stevens Institute Says Campus Diversity Is On The Rise

HOBOKEN, NJ — What do a professional ballet dancer, a Special Olympics swim coach and a roller coaster designer have in common? They’re all incoming freshmen at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken.

According to school administrators, the overall acceptance rate for the Stevens Institute Class of 2020 is 39 percent, down from 44 percent in fall of 2015. In addition, the university saw a 13 percent increase in undergraduate applications from 2015, making it among the most selective classes in recent years.

But despite the selectiveness, the overall “diversity” of this year’s freshman class may be greater than ever, administrators added.

For example, the number of under-represented minority students enrolled in the freshman class has also increased by 4.3 percent, administrators stated.

More students from outside of the New York metropolitan area are making Castle Point their home. As of mid-August, Stevens saw a 3.5 percent increase in out-of-state enrollment among the freshman class. Freshmen from 25 states and 12 countries have enrolled, with China, Brazil, South Korea and India making the top of the list.

The university also saw a 13 percent increase in women enrolled from last year, school officials stated. As of last week, 221 women were enrolled in the freshman class, up from 196 in the autumn of 2015.

Enrollment of women has been “relatively steady” at Stevens over the past several years, close to 30 percent at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, officials said. Enrollment of women in engineering in the U.S. currently stands at 21.5 percent, according to Susan Metz, executive director of diversity and inclusion at Stevens Institute.

“Increasing the diversity of students and faculty at Stevens is a strategic priority and educational imperative because it enriches the exchange of ideas impacting knowledge, research and innovation,” Metz said.

According to administrators, the school’s growth hasn’t been limited to the undergraduate level. As of Aug. 18, more than 800 new international master’s degree students had arrived for orientation — the largest number in the university’s history — with even more students expected.

Photo: Stevens Institute of Technology

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